Odds and Ends: KC-46A vulnerable to cuts; SPEEA talks resume today

While the aviation world is absorbed with the Boeing 787 drama, there actually is more going on. KC-46A Defense Cuts: We were the first to report this when the White House issued its Sequestration hit list, but with… Read More

Odds and Ends: Progress on the KC-46A; Southwest and AirTran; British Air’s A380

KC-46A Progress: National Defense magazine has this update on progress of the Boeing KC-46A tanker. According to the article, progress is proceeding well. Southwest Airlines and AirTran: Southwest Airlines is the USA’s legacy low-cost carrier, and it has… Read More

US Defense sequestration: USAF tanker on hit list

The White House issued a 394 page report on what defense programs are subject to sequestration. The USAF tanker replacement–a program won by Boeing in a bitter contest–is on the hit list (PDF Page 274, document page Appendix… Read More

New US tanker competition underway: Boeing versus…

Gotcha. Could not resist. It’s a billion-dollar contract to train the crews for the Boeing KC-46A.

Punching through the hysteria about closing Boeing Wichita

Mike Mecham of Aviation Week has a thorough analysis of what’s behind the decision to close Boeing Wichita. Contrast Mike’s story with this ridiculous analysis. It’s very, very rare that we call out someone else but this one… Read More

Fallout from Boeing’s Wichita move continues

Wichita (KS) politicians continue to grouse about the decision by Boeing to close the defense operations there and move jobs to Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Puget Sound (Seattle). The Seattle Times has this article, quoting the Wichita… Read More

FedEx orders 27 767-300Fs, defers 11 777Fs

Flight Pro (aka Flight Global) has reported FedEx ordered 27 Boeing 767-300Fs for delivery from 2014 through 2018 but at the same time deferred 11 777Fs within the 2013-2018 period as cargo demand softens. The 767s will replace… Read More

Odds and Ends: Sharklets, CAPA analyzes the Middle East

A320 Sharklet: Jon Ostrower has a detailed piece about the wing work needed to retrofit the A320 with sharklets and some thoughts about what this means for the neo. Dubai Air Show: The Center for Asia-Pacific Aerospace (CAPA)… Read More

FedEx gets ‘best and final offers’ from Airbus, Boeing

FedEx is considering ordering the Airbus A330-200F or Boeing 767-300F. We learned at ISTAT that some at the company think the A330-200F is too much airplane in terms of range for US domestic service and would prefer the… Read More

McCain puts Boeing, USAF in his sights for $1bn overrun on four tankers

Well, it’s started. See McCain’s letter to the Department of Defense here.